The present invention relates generally to seat restraint systems for vehicles and, more particularly, to a seat restraint buckle presenter assembly for a seat restraint system in a vehicle.
1. Background of the Invention
It is known to provide a seat restraint system such as a seat belt in a vehicle to restrain an occupant in a seat of the vehicle. In some vehicles, the seat restraint system may be a lap belt, a shoulder belt, or both. Typically, the lap belt and shoulder belt are connected together at one end. The seat restraint system includes a latch plate at the connected end. The seat restraint system also includes a buckle connected at one end by webbing or the like to vehicle structure. The buckle receives the latch plate to be buckled together. When the buckle and latch plate are buckled together, the seat restraint system restrains movement of the occupant to help protect the occupant during a collision.
Typically, the webbing for the buckle of the seat restraint system is fixed to the seat or vehicle structure. In addition, the buckle is located in a fixed position toward a rear of the seat in the vehicle. Since the buckle is fixed or stationary, an occupant of the seat must locate the buckle to latch the latch plate with the buckle. However, it is desirable to allow an occupant to easily locate the buckle for a seat restraint system.
2. Summary of the Invention
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a seat restraint buckle presenter for a seat restraint system in a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an assembly in a vehicle that moves a seat restraint buckle between a forward position and a rearward position.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a seat restraint buckle presenter assembly for a seat restraint system in a vehicle including a seat restraint buckle for receiving a latch plate of the seat restraint system. The seat restraint buckle presenter assembly also includes a buckle support connected to the seat restraint buckle and supporting the seat restraint buckle adjacent a seat of the vehicle. The seat restraint buckle presenter assembly further includes a drive mechanism cooperating with the buckle support for moving the buckle support and the seat restraint buckle longitudinally between a forward position and a rearward position.
One advantage of the present invention is that a seat restraint buckle presenter assembly is provided for a seat restraint system in a vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the seat restraint buckle presenter assembly enables a seat restraint buckle to be moved forward and rearward in a vehicle from one position to another for a seat restraint system in the vehicle. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the seat restraint buckle presenter assembly has forward movement of the seat restraint buckle, which allows an occupant to see the buckle and latch the buckle with ease. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the seat restraint buckle presenter assembly moves the seat restraint buckle forward in the vehicle and allows the occupant to see the buckle, which may increase belt usage of the seat restraint system. A further advantage of the present invention is that the seat restraint buckle presenter assembly has the seat restraint buckle interlocked to a horizontal track of the seat.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.